Ken Gray, vice president of sales and marketing for the Bushwick Commission in Farmingdale, NY, told The Produce News that the company continues its focus on offering customers potatoes that have traveled the least amount of miles, are of high quality, offer retailers value and provide the savings that today’s consumers are searching out.

“We have been down here a long time,” said Mike Smith, president of Sigma Sales Inc. in Nogales, AZ. “At Sigma, we have been here for 20 years,” and many members of the Sigma team have been involved in the Nogales produce deal much longer than that.

At a national communications meeting held in Anaheim, CA, Ready Pac Foods Inc. brought together its entire sales, marketing, and research and development teams, along with key executives from cross-functional areas, to examine the company's 2012 fiscal year results and kick off its 2013 fiscal year. Despite continued economic uncertainty and the challenges of Mother Nature, Ready Pac executives were very pleased with their teams' groundbreaking successes.

As a way to distinguish early-season Chilean grapes and show a commitment to quality, growers from Atacama's Copiapó and Huasco valleys have launched the FreshAtacama quality seal. The certification ensures consistent product quality throughout the season.

Paramount Citrus, based in Delano, CA, and Rio Queen, based in Mission, TX, announced that they have entered into an agreement for Paramount Citrus to acquire the citrus assets of Rio Queen Citrus.

Sky Johnson is already maintaining a busy schedule with Borton & Sons Inc. as its newest sales account manager. President of Sales & Marketing Denny Annen said Mr. Johnson came on board Nov. 12.

"He did join us at the PMA convention this year in October to get some exposure and has already proved to be a valuable asset to our sales team," Mr. Annen told The Produce News on Nov. 28.